Aristacrat - Coven
by princesspaulson
Summary: Uptown girl, Arista discovers she is a witch and is sent away to a unique boarding school for 'girls like her'. Set two months before the arrival of Zoe Benson, this is an OC fic based around the happenings at Miss Robichaux's Academy.
1. Chapter 1

[00] prologue

The petite brunette sat upright with her leg crossed over her knee in the leather chair as she waited for the headmistress of Miss Robichaux's Academy. She let her eyes scan the room. She noticed the view from the small office. When outside, she had admired the house. It was some of the most beautiful architecture she had seen since she arrived in Louisiana. Upon entering, she only thought even more of the school and those taking part in it. As she remembered herself standing outside the gates of the academy, her eyes closed briefly and as soon as she looked up she was back outside the building. The girl jumped back, startled by the new location. As her breathing slowed down she felt a hand on the small of her back. She turned around quickly to find an older woman with blonde locks tied into a sleek ponytail.

"Miss Cartwright I believe?" the lady asked with a smile.

"Oh yes, please call me Arista" she nodded.

"Well Arista, shall we continue this conversation in my office? Perhaps you can help me get there?" Arista nodded and held her arm out to the blonde. She was quick to take hold of the young girls arm, watching her carefully. Arista slowly closed her eyes and imagined being back in the room with the beautiful view and leather chair. She felt herself shift and when her eyes fluttered open once again, the two girls were in the office upstairs.

"Please" the older of the two monitored to the leather chair Arista was seated in earlier before sitting in her own behind the desk. A plaque was placed upon the desk engraved with the words _'Cordelia Foxx Headmistress'._ "So Arista, obviously you've begun to control your abilities more than when they first started. Would you mind sharing with me the problems you've faced on the way?" Arista shifted in her seat uncomfortably before placing her hands in her lap.

"Yes yes, of course Ms Foxx" she removed her gaze from her hands to the teacher seated in front of her. "The first time it happened was when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. I remember wanting to be somewhere else at the time, somewhere happy and before I knew it I was no longer in the dining room seated with my parents under the crystallised light features. I was in the study. My father said that I must be possessed but mother, she said her sister was the same. My aunt could move things just by looking at them. Ma tells me you can help me, that you're also like me"

"That is true. We're an elite boarding school for gifted young girls just like you. You said that your parents were getting divorced, that's why your powers spiked. Our abilities become stronger in a time of crisis. Here we can help you control your powers and learn more about your kind. You'll be surrounded by others like yourself"

"My kind? I'm sorry Ms Foxx, I don't understand. What exactly am I?" so many questions reeled through the poor girls mind but this one was the most important. Cordelia gave a soft and friendly laugh before replying.

"Arista, I know this all must sound so strange but you are a witch. There are many of us, some whom haven't been discovered yet walking freely among the public, dating all the way back to Salem. You're special Arista, more than you know" the brunette blinked slowly in disbelief.

"A w-witch? Me?" she gulped. Cordelia nodded.

"Listen. This is not a nunnery, it's not a jail. This place is a haven where you can learn about who and what you are" she reached out her arm and grabbed Arista's hand. "We're a dying breed Arista. Without girls knowing of their abilities they and those around them become scared. They get locked away or worse, they're killed in terrible ways, almost unimaginable. Here you will protected from these forces of evil and we can save our kind, with your help of course" Arista smiled lightly and slowly brought both hands back to her lap. Looking up at the headmistress she spoke softly.

"So when do I start?"


	2. Chapter 2

[01] supremes and bones

The soft sound of the suitcase scuffing on the concrete below her was all Arista could hear. She was petrified. She had no idea what to expect of the other young witches. Cordelia was adoringly nice and classy, but after all she was the headmistress. The students could be vulgar party animals for all she knew. Arista came from a very high class society area, were everyone was much like her. The boys were gentlemen and the girls were ladies. She assumed it would be different here. Not everyone here would be from such a well off family. The brunette took a deep breath before moving through the open gates up to the mute butler with hair resembling riff raff from _Rocky Horror_. The man's appearance only would usually send her running but Arista knew she must stay positive and open minded. She couldn't judge anyone, she's the one man freakshow herself. Arista couldn't possibly say something terrible about another when she was the one teleporting around the place like she's _Doctor Who_. The butler took her bags which was replied to with a polite smile and a small thank you. Arista dusted of her skirt and patted down her hair just a tad before entering the mansion. The foyer was a long narrow hallway leading to a two way curved staircase with a chandler hanging above. She gasped at the beautiful sight as she removed her gloves. The butler motioned for her to follow him up the stairs and she did so. As they walked past many rooms she noticed small photographs, old ones hanging on the walls. She assumed they must be past students. The butler unlocked a door and sat her bags beside the bed before nodding farewell. She thanked the butler once again before sitting in the edge of her bed. She didn't seem to have a roommate but she didn't mind. As she opened up a suitcase she heard a voice coming from down the hall.

"Do you guys hear that?" a girl asked.

"Nan, nobody hears what you hear"

"There's a new student" Nan, she figured, replied. The statement was quickly followed by footsteps and a knock on her door. Arista looked up at the doorway to find a small girl who appeared to have down-syndrome as well as a lager African-American girl in a zebra print top. Arista smiled at the girls as she stood up from her place on the bed.

"You're the new girl right?" Arista nodded. "I'm Queenie, this is Nan" she folded her arms over her chest.

"Hi" Nan smiled and gave her a small wave.

"Lovely to meet you both. My name is Arista" she held her hand out to shake with her fellow students. Nan willingly took the hand and shook it where as Queenie just stared at her with her eyebrows up.

"Girl I know it says elite on the front of he school but you can drop the whole proper act. No one gives a shit around here" Trying to ignore the cuss, Arista nodded.

"Sure" she replied but it came out as more of a question. She would have to find a way to become more 'relaxed' with these girls and act as a normal teenager would. "So where is everyone? I thought there'd be more than just two and I can't seem to hear any other girls in the house"

"Everyone?" Queenie laughed. "There's three of us, well four now we've got you. The only witch 'round here is Madison and she's probably out getting hammered with a bunch of frat guys"

"Oh" was all Arista could say. Cordelia wasn't kidding when she said they were a dying breed.

"Do you need help unpacking?" Nan could sense how uncomfortable Arista and she wanted to help break the ice.

"Oh no thank you, I'll be fine" Nan took a seat on The spare bed in Arista's room.

"So what's your power?" she asked, eyes scanning around the room. Just as Arista went to answer the girls question there was a knock on the door.

"Girls, Madison has just arrived home. It's time for a meeting downstairs. We need to discuss the house rules with Arista" Queenie groaned as she walked past Cordelia, closely followed by Nan. Arista rose from her spot on the edge of the bed and dusted off her skirt. "How are you liking so far Arista?"

"It's lovely, truly, but I feel I might struggle a bit fitting in. You see, Queenie seems to think I'm faking some 'proper' act but I'm perplexed as to what she means" Cordelia laughed softly before guiding Arista out of the room and down the stairwell.

"Just try not to use big words they may not know and you'll be fine"she said with a small wink. A smile grew on Arista's face as they reached the bottom of the stairs and were led into what Cordelia told Arista was the ancestors room. "All these portraits are of previous leaders of this Coven, our Supremes" she said once all 5 of them were seated.

"Supreme?" Arista asked.

"It is common for a witch to manifest multiple powers, maybe 3 or four, but there is one witch very generation who is extremely powerful and has all seven. She is the Supreme" Arista nodded.

"Who is the Supreme anyway, since it's clearly not you Cordelia" Madison spat in a bored tone. Arista sensed she was a bitter girl and fed off others pain and misery.

"It is not me, that's true. Our Supreme has chosen not to be involved with the Coven. She saw it as more of a title than a position and has left the Coven in ruins for he Council to try and keep together" Cordelia's tone changed when speaking about the Supreme. As if she had a certain disliking to the woman, that seemed more personal than just the state of the Coven.

"Do you know the Supreme, as in have you met her?"

"Yes. I have, and she isn't a very good person. She cares for one thing and one thing only, herself"

The conversation continued as they all introduced themselves and their powers. Arista took quite the liking to Nan and Cordelia. They were nice and seemed rather more interesting than Madison. Arista immediately despised her. She was selfish, rude, vulgar and arrogant. When it came to Queenie, Arista couldn't make up her mind. She seemed nice enough if you didn't get on her bad side but she has quite the temper and to be frank, she scares Arista a little bit.

Upstairs, Arista was finishing packing when Madison entered her room, unannounced, uninvited and didn't even bother to knock.

"So Bones, whats your story? Kill anyone?" she laid on her stomach on the spare bed and placed a cigarette between her teeth. Startled, Arista jumped when she heard the girls raspy voice.

"Oh my gosh, Madison" she looked at the girl "You scared me. And you can't smoke in here. It's vile" Madison rolled her eyes before removing cigarette from her mouth and back to the packet. "Thank you, and as for your question, no. I haven't hurt a single soul"

"Ugh, you're so boring Bones" Arista quirked an eyebrow.

"Bones?"

"You look like shit, anorexia?" Arista's jaw dropped in shock.

"How dare you joke about such things. Absolutely disgusting" Madison flicked her wrist, making the empty suitcase Arista had just shoved at the top of the wardrobe come crashing down onto her head. Arista's fragile body fell to the floor and Madison sighed.

"Jesus Christ, you're even worse than that clairvoyant bitch" pushing off the suitcase, Arista flipped her head up.

"How can you be so mean? Nan is a sweetheart. What did someone do that could possibly make you like this. Now can you please leave, I'd like to finish unpacking in peace" she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Madison with a displeasing look on her face. Madison rolled her eyes.

"You're a pretty girl, Bones. You'll soon learn who the right people to hang around are"


	3. Chapter 3

Arista had been a student at the academy for a bit over two months now. Her social skills had improved a little bit but she was still easily manipulated into doing things by Madison and sometimes Queenie as well. Nan and herself got along just fine, with no bumps so far. But the biggest achievement the socialite had made was only being dragged along to two of Madison's so called parties. Arista had been to many events but never had she been to a party of such monstrosity. There had been people licking salt of another's body before downing a shot of alcohol, girls grinding up against boys in a most scandalous way that made her feel sick to her stomach, not to mention that when she would arrive with the movie star, everyone paid attention to the two of them. She was just glad she had managed to get out of most of these nights.

Arista was currently at the small table in the kitchen reading the newspaper as she ate her bagel. She was both anxious and excited. Today, a new student was arriving at Miss Robichaux's Academy. The girls hadn't been told much, just that a girl would be arriving that morning and to make her feel welcome. That was it, not even a name. She took a bite out of her bagel and looked up as she heard footsteps. Madison walked up to the table and stood at the opposite end to Arista. She threw a red mask with a pointy nose at the brunette, only to be met with a confused look.

"We're gonna play a prank of the new girl" she stated.

"That's not very fair, the poor girl is probably already petrified"

"Oh come on Bones. Think of it as a welcome ceremony, a right of passage" she tried to persuade her sister witch.

"What did the others say?" she asked, peering down at the mask before picking it up and examining it.

"They're down" Arista nodded slowly.

"Okay then, so what are we going to do?" the girl gave in and Madison smirked.

The door swung open and a girl dressed in all black with long, blonde hair stepped in with the most perplexed look on her face. Arista looked at her from her spot on the balcony of the stairs sympathetically. This was quickly met with a nudge from Madison.

"You're not backing out of this Bones" she reminded her "Just stick with the plan and follow my lead" Arista nodded and stood up to walk behind the movie star, trying her best not to make a creek in the floor boards. They met the other two witches at the peek of the stairs and the four split up, walking in a calm manner down numerous halls, circling the new student. They cornered her in the dining room, and Madison pushed the girl onto the table, the other three helping To hold her down. Madison raised the knife in her hand, the blade pointing to the girl on the table.

"Oh dark father" Madison began in a low voice. "We offer this flesh up to you. Blood, life and all" the new girl screamed as Madison slammed the knife into the table, only an inch from her face. The candle flames in the room grew high, thanks to Madison's telekinesis and then blew out. She dropped the knife and we all let go as the girl scrambled up the table, pulling her dress to cover her body.

"Jesus Sabrina relax" Madison flicked back her blonde hair as she took of her mask.

"Madison" Arista scowled quietly.

"We're just messing with you" she ignores her warning. The new girl's eyes widen in realisation.

"Holy shit, are you-"

"Madison Montgomery, movie star" she flashed her Hollywood smiling as she boasted.

"Shit" Queenie flipped her mask and hood over the top of her head. "When's the last time you made a movie girl?" Arista chuckled a bit at the comment and carefully remove her mask, trying to keep her hair as is.

"I'm Nan, hi" Nan introduces herself as she removed her mask.

"Zoe" the blonde perched on the edge of the table told the four witches.

"Queenie" the girl nods.

"And this here's Bones" Madison adds, before Arista can introduce myself. She didn't bother to correct her. She had grown quite accustom to the hideous nickname. Madison sighs "So bored now" she looks around the room.

"So, is this all of you?" Zoe asks, still a bit dazed.

"At the moment" a voice from the other room sounds. The girls turn to see Cordelia entering the room. "Cordelia Foxx, headmistress" she smiles at Zoe.

"Alright girls" she begins as Zoe swings herself around and slides off the edge of the table. "There's a van full of groceries in the driveway that need unloading. I'll show Zoe to her room and then we meet for mid-day gathering" I see Madison roll her eyes. "Let's go" Cordelia adds sharply. The four witches make their way through the ancestors room and out into the foyer.

"The poor girl, Madison you've probably scared her off staying here and you know we need more students" Arista mentions as She removed the black robe from over her floral dress.

"Chill Bones, she'll live. And besides, isn't fear good is you're a witch. Gets you prepared in case something happens"

"There just one problem with that" Queenie adds.

"Nothing happens around here" Arista completes and shrugs lightly before walking out to the van.

"In its hay day, the academy was home to as many as 60 girls. Over years, those numbers have dwindled" Cordelia explained to Zoe whilst we were all sitting around for our mid-day gathering.

"Why?" Zoe, the of many words, asked.

"We're a dying breed Zoe. Many of the families who knew they carried the bloodline made a choice not to reproduce"

"So what's a supreme?" she asked of Cordelia's most favoured question, of which Arista found out the difficult way.

"An average witch is born with a few natural gifts, but in each generation, there is one witch who embodies countless gifts, some say all of them. She is the supreme" Cordelia remains calm and gestures towards some of the portraits.

"Are you the supreme?"

Madison and Queenie start to laugh as Arista and Nan share a quick glance and knowing smile.

"No" Cordelia answers after giving Madison and Queenie a quick but cold glance. She turns her attention back to Zoe "I'm like you. Just a witch, and a teacher. I'm here to help you identify your gifts and teach you how to control them"

"She means to suppress them" Queenie scoffs lightly.

"Not suppression, control" Cordelia corrects her.

"She thinks it's still the 1600's" Madison folds her arms and stops playing with her nails. Arista let out a sigh at the two girls' constant interruption. When ever will they learn? She thought to herself. Nan turned and nodded to her in agreement, Arista had almost forgotten for a moment that Nan could hear her thoughts.

"No" Cordelia looked down before returning her eyes to Zoe. "Back then our kind understood the dangers. Today, so many families know nothing of their ancestry" she quickly glanced over to Arista and gave her a knowing yet understanding smile. The brunette averted her eyes to her lap, not wanting to think about her family. "Too many girls aren't lucky enough to have found us or weren't identified in time for us to have found them. Like that poor Cajun girl, just outside Lafitte a few months back. Misty Day. She wasn't much older than any of you, and she had a gift. The power of resurgence. Misty could reach into that place between life and death and draw a soul back from the precipice, back to this side, back to life. To some this appeared to be the God touch power of resurrection. To others, necromancy" Arista's attention has been brought back to the conversation and her eyes widen at the story of the girl of such power. She was surprised Ms Foxx hadn't mentioned it earlier.

"What happened to her?" Arista asked, almost at the same time as Zoe.

"The same thing that's happened to women like us through the centuries" she sad sadly.

"She was burned alive" Arista trailed off, a pit of sadness swelling in the bottom of her stomach. She felt so terrible for the poor Cajun girl and wished she could have met her. Zoe's eyes widened after hearing this. She quickly looked from Arista to her headmistress for reassurance and Cordelia nodded.

"We are under siege ladies. Our lives, our very existence is always at risk. Know this, or face extinction" Any sign of hope or inspiration was completely drained from Zoe's face and was replaced with sorrow and fear. Arista noticed this and placed a hand on the girl beside her's knee and squeezed it reassuringly with a small smile. Zoe returned it, but still she still felt uncertain about the whole thing.


End file.
